County supervisors resolve budget stalemate

Sunday

Dec 18, 2011 at 8:14 AMDec 20, 2011 at 8:16 AM

Natasha Lindstrom, Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO • Tension on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors appears to be dying down, with 1st District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt now agreeing to advance a $52 million budget allocation he'd twice rejected.

Mitzelfelt, who represents the High Desert, had been refusing to vote for a package of budget approvals on the heels of a controversial vote Nov. 15. The board voted to divvy up among all five districts a pot of staffing funds that historically had been going directly into the 1st District to account for its large geographic size.

Mitzelfelt saw the policy switch as indicative of the board going in the "wrong direction" and unfairly singling out the High Desert. To express his position, he voted down a $ 52 million budget adjustment in November, and he blocked a pared-down, $10 million version Dec. 6. He tried to get the board to approve only some items deemed most crucial, such as crime-fighting funds for High Desert cities.

Supervisors Janice Rutherford and Josie Gonzales accused Mitzelfelt of holding the budget hostage because he wasn't getting his way.

The $52 million allocation, which required four votes, finally advanced Tuesday on a 4-0 vote, with 3rd District Supervisor Neil Derry recusing himself.

It was following a one-on-one conversation with Rutherford that Mitzelfelt said he "felt it wasn't necessary to hold up the budget changes any longer."

"I have a reasonable degree of confidence that in next year's budget we'll take an objective look at the needs of the various districts and that my High Desert district will be treated fairly ..." Mitzelfelt said. "No specific promises were made. It was just, I think, a general understanding that I felt we reached."

The plan is to take a comprehensive look at the way board offices are funded during next year's budget process, Mitzelfelt said. He noted there may be new sources to supplement the $120,000 in staffing funds he's losing, such as using money saved by reducing his benefits.

"We may change the entire approach to funding a district that has special needs," Mitzelfelt said.

Rutherford said she's not convinced the High Desert deserves more resources just because of its size.

"I still don't think that the land generates more work; the people generate the work," Rutherford said.

But after speaking with Mitzelfelt, she's willing to re-evaluate funding issues.

"We had a really great conversation," Rutherford said. "I really have a much better understanding of what his concerns are about having the resources to serve his district, and we agree that's part of next year's strategic planning and budget process of the board."

Mitzelfelt said he doesn't regret triggering the budget impasse.

"I never intended to jeopardize those funds," Mitzelfelt said. "I think I made my point that I felt singled out ... I would do it again. It's part of the legislative process. It comes down to votes and sometimes, as I've said before, sometimes your votes have to speak for you."

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